Training Log Archive: Thraws

Did control duty at no.5, a reentrant which didn't greatly resemble the sizeable niche I'd imagined the night before. Almost everyone got it pretty cleanly though. Then ran the course. Lost time at 2, but I still can't make the map fit the ground, and at 6 where I was much too far right because I was trying to idenify features rather than check the compass. The flag at 7 was on the wrong feature, because the hanger had used a different map, but you had to go past it. Then I lost a lot of time at 8 because I thought I was matching marshes and hills when I wasn't and I strayed about 30 degrees off my bearing, which left me in the wrong marsh and over 100 metres from the control. Took me ages to relocate. Not sure visualisation such a good idea when the terrain is so complex and the different features all so indistinct!

There was only time to do the first three of six legs, which was a shame because this was the sort of thing that let me down in the 5 Days. I used the tracks to 1, then the wall and stream to 2. Leg 3 was almost a kilometre and with very little that was obvious to mark one's passage along it. I tried to use the compass and keep an eye on the forest edge handrail. I contoured through a number of marshes so must have stayed low-ish, then crossed the fence where it ran west-east (but not near the top of the hill where I thought I was at the time). Stayed roughly on the contour, crossed a stream, then climbed a reentrant to a stone shelter which I couldn't see on the map at the time but can now. Crossing the crest I could see the lake so worked out roughly where I was, and climbed about 20 metres to the tiny flag. Even without rushing I'd probably managed to waste about three or four minutes, but my battle had been with the terrain and slopes rather than the map. Jogged back to finish but ended up about 200 metres to the right.

After watching everyone through control 3 (three people spiked, three had big time losses, the others OK), I went out on the map I'd copied the night before showing major features drawn on a course overprint. I lost contact almost immediately after running into a group of workmen and collected the control from the reentrant rather then the gully, which was about 40 metres away. Was good through 2 and 3, but coming up slope to 4 saw a flag a little way to the right, figured I was off the line, and collected the kite. It was the wrong one again! Consequently 5 took a bit longer to come up, and I crossed the stream too early for 6 and got the fences confused. Should have marked on the buildings near where the paths crossed, as they confused me.

Couldn't find 1 because I had mistakenly collected it in earlier! Went and got the flag from the gully and put it in the right place. Crossed the path and followed swollen streams downhill to the big marsh (flat bit) for 2, then climbed straight up the hill to the ridge and crossed the big dip to 3. Used mostly paths for 4, 5 and 6 (which I'd removed but someone else had put back!) and found the eastern end of the map much easier than the tricky western bit.

This was entirely on the more difficult left half of the map, a very steep slope cut by numerous streams. As the flags had been collected I was running to the features (which is always good for visualisation). I was not totally sure about the spurs at 4 and 5, then made a real mess of 6 as I completely failed to see I had to climb almost 50 metres, and just contoured instead, getting stuck under the big cliff without recognising it. Climbed up through the rocks to the higher crag, then was on more familiar ground for the last four legs. Complex terrain, though, and almost impossible to locate every mapped feature.

Really enjoyed this, which made good use of the best bits of Great Tower Wood. Lost two minutes on first middle loop, after running right past 2 and taking ages to relocate on the big stream. But biggest mistake was at start of second loop, where I turned left instead of right at the big crag on the way to 6 so ran a completely pointless 400 metres on hilly forest tracks. Got it together after that and did the third biggest loop OK. But was still slower than Lu on most legs and only beat her by a few seconds because she messed up three controls near the end. Probs about 6 mins lost in total.

Short race round the Lakeside area forest straight after getting out the minibus following a 9 hour journey. I was glad of the opportunity to get some exercise. Slow to 1 because it was dark and I couldn't find the start triangle. Was good through 2 but lost a minute and a half at 3 because of other people on the wrong hill. Stayed on the path too long for 5 and 7, and overshot AP. And after running past the buildings went up the wrong reentrant to 8. Went down the wrong valley to 10, arrived at 1, and thought I'd mispunched the first control, then realised I hadn't, phew! Overall lost about 4 mins, but was pleased with run, even though Lu beat me on almost every leg and by 3 mins in total.